Passengers may soon be able to use the popular messaging app WhatsApp to book flights.
Dutch Airline KLM has been using WhatsApp since 2017 to communicate with its passengers. Other airline companies, including Malaysia Airlines and Etihad, have also introduced features to sends notifications such as flight confirmation and itineraries.
According to travel experts with The Points Guy, a new artificial intelligence development through WhatsApp will take these features that airline companies offer to the next level.
So, how does it work when the app is designed for human-to-human communications?
At least week’s World Aviation Festival in London, Ron Chapman, founder of the ASI Group told The Points Guy that it will work by increasing the use of a robotic system known as a chatbot.
A chatbot is essentially a sophisticated robotic system that speaks to you like a human, similar to websites you visit that may appear at the bottom of your screen with a message asking if you need help.
Long story short: using chatbots in WhatsApp means that airline companies can talk to customers like a person-to-person help desk.
The logic behind the use of chatbots is that customers would contact companies on a “request and respond process”.
In terms of artificial intelligence in WhatsApp, this development could mean that passengers will have the ability to book a flight, obtain information on origin and destination, dates and the number of passengers.
And while the chatbot will allow WhatsApp to collect the information, the payment will likely be made outside the app with a secure payment page, according to The Points Guy.